Where the sun both rises and sets over the ocean
The village of St. Helena Bay is situated along the shoreline of the Vredenburg peninsula, where it is one of only three places on a natural continental bay on earth that allows you to observe both the rising and the setting of the sun over the ocean.
St. Helena Bay lies approximately 150km north of Cape Town on the Cape West Coast.
It is also here where you will find Da Gama Bay Holiday Cottages. This Holiday Portfolio Destination offers budget-friendly, self-catering luxury stays.
Da Gama Bay is named after the infamous Portuguese explorer Vasco Da Gama, who came ashore on 8 November 1497, at what is believed to be the actual site of arrival down on the coast below us, and where a monument is now erected (see our Attractions section for more information).
According to the history books, St. Helena Bay was named Bahia de Santa Helena (Portuguese for its current name) after Saint Helena, a devout and influential Christian and the mother of Constantine I, the Portuguese ruler at the time.
Today, the village and its 18 bays stretch from Laingville through to Duykereiland, with Paternoster and Saldanha Bay lying further south, and Laaiplek and Velddrif to the east.
There are 5 cottages at Da Gama Bay, of which 4 are available for holiday accommodation. The cottages are named after the large merchant ships that Da Gama and his fellow travellers arrived in. The Armada (or fleet) consisted of São Miguel, São Rafael and São Gabriel. They were accompanied by the supply ship Berrio, and joined by Vasco (the name of our smallest unit).
The four Carracks (a three- or four-mast ocean-going sailing ship that was developed in the 14th to 15th centuries) were up to 45m in length and could carry a cargo of between 110 & 200 tons each, with the smaller Berrio as a Caravel (a small manoeuvrable sailing ship of 12-18m in length) with a cargo weight of between 50 and 90 tons.
The interior décor is inspired by the textures and colours of a traditional Portuguese fishing village, emphasising the cultural influences of Da Gama. Other subtle references include the piscina (swimming pool) and the multilingual signage.
St. Helena Bay offers a vast number of accommodation options, and we are proud to say that we have taken great care to hone down into the finer details to differentiate Da Gama Bay on a number of levels.
We also emphasise the natural beauty of the ocean views, one of our prime attractions. Whether you are on the patio of your unit or lounging by the pool, you will be in one of only three places on earth that allows you to observe both the rising and the setting of the sun over the ocean. This is an experience not to be missed!
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